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Biker was thrown into the air in crash, Carlisle court told

A biker was hurled into the air after he was struck by a car in Carlisle.

Carlisle magistrates court heard how 38-year-old Luke Leathers didn’t see the bike due to a “momentary lapse of concentration”.

Prosecutor Pam Ward said Leathers, of Kirkland Villa, Wigton, was driving his Volkswagen Golf along Victoria Place when he collided with the bike as he turned into Howard Place.

She said a witness described seeing the motorbike hit the car on the side and the driver went up in the air.

“He fell to the ground and suffered facial injuries and shock,” she said. “He was taken to the Cumberland Infirmary for treatment.”

Leathers, defending himself in court, said he was waiting to turn right into Howard Place but didn’t see the bike “for some reason”.

He described having “a momentary lapse of concentration” and he deeply regretted the incident on September 17 last year.

“I was travelling at slow speed,” he said.

Leathers, who admitted driving without due care and attention, said he had been left with psychological problems after the accident. He told the court he was now taking the Institute of Advanced Motorist ‘Skill for life’ course to help regain his driving confidence.

Magistrates fined him £305 and ordered him to pay prosecution costs of £50 and a £15 victim surcharge. He also had five points put on his licence which, the court heard, was previously clean.